Show your Bird Portraits

Junior, one of three nestling Northern Flickers, was really ready to just go for it but sadly, decided to wait until the next morning while I was at work.
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ISv

"The equipment that matters, is you"
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When I asked this Great Horned Owl if she had seen any squirrels, her reply back was "Squirrels? No squirrels here."
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Nice photo ERHP!
And squirrels are OK - the victim here is something from dormice (Gliridae - check the Internet). The size would correspond to Hazel dormouse. On other hand the oak in the background is an American species (and I fall as a Sherlock:))
 
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ISv

"The equipment that matters, is you"
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Hey all, great shots! I've been so busy lately, I haven't had time to edit any photos, plus I took over 30,000 in May alone! Well, this last weekend, I took a road trip to try for the ultra rare Kirtland's Warbler. I found at least two, but I think I had 4 of them! If you don't know about the Kirtland's Warbler, search them, great story! 7D mkii / EF500 f4 / 1.4xiii

Jeremy

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Jeremy, now you really made me jealous:mad:!! Very nice shots of great bird(y)!
 
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ISv

"The equipment that matters, is you"
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The very little free time in the last two weeks was spent in botanical gardens - I was making chaperone of my visitors from NY (when I could). Almost no birds.
Here are few from today - I took off this afternoon to practice shooting in very contrast light and mostly wide-open lens...185077185078185079185080
 
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ISv

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Hi Alan, dug up a picture I shot a year ago; same tree - same species of woodpecker
Portrait shot is 100-400 II at 400mm, f/7.1, 1/640s, ISO3200 (slightly cropped)
Landscape shot is 60-600mm at 600mm, f/6.3, 1/200s, ISO1250 (full image)
Both on 7DII
View attachment 184929View attachment 184930

Below I took 1200x1200 pixel cut-outs around the birds head; so as equal as possible comparison (i.e. 1200 sensor pixels each)
100-400mm:
View attachment 184931

and the 60-600mm:
View attachment 184932

I think you'll agree that there is more detail in the 600mm shot.
Sure the ISO3200 does not help sharpness on a 7DII but nonetheless...
W.
Wiebe - first: congrats for your new lens!!!
Concerning the comparison of these two lenses - if the distance to the bird is +/- same, you have more pixels engaged in the detail with the 600mm. And you will have even more if your next lens is 800mm (;) - dream, at least for me. I just don't know how I could handle such a monster).
 
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Wiebe - first: congrats for your new lens!!!
Concerning the comparison of these two lenses - if the distance to the bird is +/- same, you have more pixels engaged in the detail with the 600mm. And you will have even more if your next lens is 800mm (;) - dream, at least for me. I just don't know how I could handle such a monster).
Hi Ilko, thanks... as to comparison - the location / angle / distance were all identical (to the nearest 0.1m ;)) so indeed 50% more linear detail to be captured. Shooting conditions / settings were different though (high ISO on the 100-400 shot, causing some loss of contrast / detail).
My non scientific assessment after a couple of days:
100-400mm II can achieve the best detail / sharpness - if you can get close enough for good framing
60-600mm comes quite close in sharpness and contrast while adding reach for tight framing - if you can handle the weight or work from a tripod / monopod (the additional kilo of weight, way in front of the camera, makes itself felt...)
100-400 II + 1.4xTC III (so 560mm f/8) lags behind a bit in contrast / sharpness (all on my 7DmkII)
So this new lens will be used on occasions reserved for photography, where I know I'll need tightest possible framing (or need the massive flexibility in framing of the 10x zoom). When hiking "with the possibility of capturing a nice shot" I'm using the 100-400 for its lower weight, easier handling and excellent quality.
W.

P.S. I'll try the 60-600 + 1.4xTC for the 840mm reach while on holiday - see what result I can get with that :p (on crop body so >1200mm equivalent :eek:)
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
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Hi Ilko, thanks... as to comparison - the location / angle / distance were all identical (to the nearest 0.1m ;)) so indeed 50% more linear detail to be captured. Shooting conditions / settings were different though (high ISO on the 100-400 shot, causing some loss of contrast / detail).
My non scientific assessment after a couple of days:
100-400mm II can achieve the best detail / sharpness - if you can get close enough for good framing
60-600mm comes quite close in sharpness and contrast while adding reach for tight framing - if you can handle the weight or work from a tripod / monopod (the additional kilo of weight, way in front of the camera, makes itself felt...)
100-400 II + 1.4xTC III (so 560mm f/8) lags behind a bit in contrast / sharpness (all on my 7DmkII)
So this new lens will be used on occasions reserved for photography, where I know I'll need tightest possible framing (or need the massive flexibility in framing of the 10x zoom). When hiking "with the possibility of capturing a nice shot" I'm using the 100-400 for its lower weight, easier handling and excellent quality.
W.

P.S. I'll try the 60-600 + 1.4xTC for the 840mm reach while on holiday - see what result I can get with that :p (on crop body so >1200mm equivalent :eek:)
It's an interesting lens. I'd like to try it out. From the various reviews, it seems to be optimised for 600mm and is sharper there than at 400mm, and as I would use it at 600mm I prefer it that way. Each year I get older, I need a lighter lens unfortunately, and I appreciate the 100-400mm more and more. The 1.4xTC works well on my Sigma. 150-600mm
 
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Nice photo ERHP!
And squirrels are OK - the victim here is something from dormice (Gliridae - check the Internet). The size would correspond to Hazel dormouse. On other hand the oak in the background is an American species (and I fall as a Sherlock:))

Thanks ISv! Here we refer to those as California ground squirrels as they tend to burrow into the ground. The oak/pine forests where I usually shoot at supports a very large population of these, which in turn helps give me the occasional predator opportunity.
 
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The very little free time in the last two weeks was spent in botanical gardens - I was making chaperone of my visitors from NY (when I could). Almost no birds.
Here are few from today - I took off this afternoon to practice shooting in very contrast light and mostly wide-open lens...


Nice series, ISv.
d055.gif
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
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Aug 16, 2012
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Yesterday, cycling home I saw a young heron in a brook, and fortunately I had my 5DSR + 100-400mm II slung over my shoulder. The heron was fishing for sticklebacks. I set the shutter speed to 1/3200s as the beak was flashing at high speed and never still when a fish was there. Looking at the images, the ones I liked the best were those where the drops of water were prominent as they show the movement and are almost as interesting as the fish.

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